Improvement in copying surfaces by electricity



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER BAIN, oF VLONDON, ENGLAND.

l' Specification fcrmingpilrt'of Letters Patent No. 5,957, latedDecember 5, 1848.

messages may besent-from one place to another at a distance, and forwhich said improve- Uments I seek Letters Patent of the United L States,as the same areshown in the specifica- 'tion'of a patent issued to meunder'the' Great -Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain andIreland onthe 27th day of May, 1843, and which specification was dulyenrolled'the 27th dayof November,- intho same'year, wherein the saidinvention and improvements were fully and substantially set forth, ashereinafter described and shown, reference being had to the drawingsannexed, which show my improvements for taking copies of surfaces-forinstance, the surface of printers types-at disy tant places.

In these drawings the conjoined figure in Sheet 1 represents certainimprovements in electric timepieces, as the same are employed by me forthe purpose 'of giving isochronous movements to the transmitting andcopying portions of the machinery, and shows a method of makingtwopendulums at a distance regulate each other so as to keep the sametime. The like marks of reference apply to the/same parts in bothportions of this figure. `In these A A are the backs ofthe-inclosing-cases. B B aretwo pendulums, of the same length, suspendedat N N. C C are two permanent magnets. F F are two multiplied coils ofwire at-' tached to the springs D D. G G are two similar catches, oneattached to each of the pendulum-bobs. L L is a. section of the earth. HK are plates of metal. O is a galvanic battery with one pole connectedwith'theplateK. To the other pole is connected or attached the wire M,which leads up to the spring D. This is in connection with one end ofthe coil F, the other end being connected with the metallic catch E. Theend of a similar wire is connected with the catch G of the pendulum andled up the rod into connection with the lower end 'of the pendulumspring, the springs of the two pendulums being connected by the topwireM,. lThe connections are similar at the other pendulum, and thecurrent returned by the earth, as shown by the arrows at L. Thependulums will be kept'in motion by clocks in the ordinary manner, andmade to move in theV same direction and at the same time. When the twopendulums are near the extremity of their vibrations to the left and thecatches on the bobs are in contact with the catches beneath the electriccircuit is completed, and the attracted by the magnets, and thusdepressing' the catches E E, and by these means allowing the catches Gto pass over them, and when the peudulumshave passed over the catch Ethe currentis broken until upon their return vibration the faces of thecatches G come into contact with the faces of the catches E and shouldone pendulum arrive at this point first it must remain until the othercomes up to the like point at the other station to complete the electiccircuit, when the catchesE will be again depressed by the attraction ofthe magnets and both pendulums be released simultaneously.

Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 2, represent two machines for transmitting andreceiving copies of surfaces, one of which 'machines may be consideredas .at Boston and the other at New York. These'two instruments are inevery respect the counterparts of each other except X2, Fig. 2, fromwhich the message is sent. AA A is a strong wood frame; B B, a metalframe filled with short insulated wires parallel of the frame. These maybe put in as follows: The small wires are previously insulated by threadin the usual manner, then cut into lengths of about an inch, and asmanyput into the frame as that will receive. Then pour between them.When cold, grind and polish to a plane and smooth surface on both sidesush with the frame, as' represented by the numerous dots. "D D arependulums, which are kept in constant motion by powerful clocks Q.Q. Themotions of these pendulums are kept isochronous by electric coils andpermacurrent will pass through the pendulums and r wires, at the samecausing the coils F F- to be to each other, and at rightangles to theplane .a quantity of liquid sealing-wax on and to fill nent magnets, asshown in Sheet l. These coils and magnets serve no'other purpose and do-not act in or form any part of the long telegraphic circuit in whichthe electric current travels when the marks are making by the current.'K is a steel-spring carried by the pendulum, the extreme end rubbinggently upon the surfaceformed by the insulated wires in th'e frame B B.L is a spring fixed to the wood frame. Thefree end of this springpresses upon the metal frame B B. M isa slight spring carried by thependulum, having a piu projecting through the pendulum that pressesgently upon the wood frame N. U andV are two metal studs ush with Vtheframe N. W is a permanent magnet. E is a voltaic battery. 'I Taresections of the earth. S S is carbon. It R It are coiulucting-wires. C Cis a piece of clock mechanism, Vto which the metal franws y B B act asweights. O I are two pins in the slide-spindle P2. Kisa coil ot'insulated wire suspended by two insulated -springs at Y, to

. which are attached conducting-wires. W is a second permanent magnet.Zis a sprinfr.

When a communication is to be made I proceed in the following manner: Irst set up the types composing the communication in the usual manner ina metal frame, which fits into metallic contact with the back ci' theframe B B, Fig. 2, Sheet 2, with the printing-surface in contact withthe back ends ot' the small parallel wires. In the Vdistant frame B B,Fig. l, Sheet 2, will be kept placed two thicknesses of damp paperpreviously saturated with a solution composed of equal parts ofprnssiate of potassa and nitrate ot'soda, and at the back of the paper asmooth metal plate, pressing the paper into contact with the ends ot'the parallel wires and exactly fitting the frame B B. lhe operator,having set up his types and placed them in the frame B B, Fig. 2, Sheet2, then joins the connecting-wire at X2, and when the pendulums are atthe extreme ends ot' their vibrations-that is, when the pins in thesprings M M come upon the studs U U or V V-a current is sent through thecoils X, which are then repeiled by the permanent magnets W', and,pressing upon the slide-spindles, releases one pin of the top wheel,which allows the wheels to make one-eighth of a revolution. When thepins carried by the springs M M are oii' the studs U U or V V thecurrent is broken, and the coils being no longer repelled by themagnets, the springs Z Z ,force the. spindles s spring K in Sheet 2,Fig. 2, willonly take the current from the short Wires whose in ner poin ts are in contact with some portion .of the type, the current willpass at that point and no other, and consequently the current will bedelivered at a corresponding point through the paper in the frame B B ofFig. l, Sheet 2, and this operation will produce a copy of theprinting-surfaces of the type in a seriesof small dots in the paper bythe electric current decomposing the substance and changing the color ofthe moist chemical compound in the paper.

For simplicity-in the representation and references, only oneconducting-wire' and one spring-K are shown in the drawings, Sheet 2,'as used with each instrument; butin'practice these maybe varied and usedso as to copy an entire line ot' types at each vibration of thependulums.

It is also evident that a copy of any other surface composed otconducting and noncon ducting materials can be transmitted and taken bythese means.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let In witness whereofl I havehereunto signed my name, in the city of Washington, this 18th dav ofNovember, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ferty-eight.

ALEXANDER BAIN. Witnesses:

B. K. MonsELL, W..SERRELL.

